Packaging means



June 23, 1959 JKH. VINEBERG PACKAGING MEANS Filed Oct. :21, 1957 zzeegg k I all ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fifice 2,891,715 Patented June 23, 1959 2,891,715 PACKAGING MEANS Joseph H. Vineberg, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application October 21, 1957, Serial No. 691,194 3 (Cl. 229-52) This invention relates to packaging means.

The conventional paper bag is widely used as a packaging means in retail establishments and it constitutes an inexpensive and convenient means for packaging a wide variety of articles. There are, however, a great many articles the packaging of which does not lend itself to the use of paper bags. Thus, it is desirable that, in

access to the open mouth of the bag. The article or articles to be packaged are then placed therein. The panel 4 is then swung downwardly to close the open mouth with the flanged edge 6 in engagement with the opposite side wall of the bag. The end flaps 2 are then folded over the panel, such flaps being slit at 9-to permit passage therethrough of the handle]. The side flaps. 3 are then folded over the panel 4 and end flaps 2, such side flaps being slotted at 10 to permit passage therethrough of the handle 7.

The resulting package is shown in Figure 2 and it will be observed that it may be conveniently carried by grasping the handle tab 7. Since the package is suspended from the handle, the panel 4 remains in transverse relation to the bag being restrained from upward movement by the folded over bag flaps 2 and 3.

The semi-rigid panel 4 thus maintains the bag in substantially fully distended rectangular shape whereby the many cases, the article to bepackaged should not be subject to crushing engagement by the packaging means. In such cases, it is conventional practice to utilize cardboard boxes and the like. Such boxes are not only awkward to handle by the user, but they are costly to manufacture and bulky in storage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a packaging means which possesses the cheapness andcomp'actness of the conventional paper bag but which includes shape maintaining means whereby articles packaged thereby are maintained in satisfactory condition.

The invention resides in packaging means comprising a paper bag, and at least one panel of semi-rigid sheet material secured to the inner surface of said bag, said panel being disposable in transverse relation to said bag and being substantially coextensive with the transverse area of said bag.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention,

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the embodiment shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a conventional bag of lightweight sheet material such as kraft paper. Each of the four corners of the bag is equidistantly severed to provide two end flaps 2 and two side flaps 3 adjacent the open mouth of the bag. The width of each flap is such that when they are folded inwardly in generally right angular relation to the bag walls, the side flaps 3 will overlap each other. A panel 4 of semi-rigid material such as cardboard or the like is secured to the bag mouth as by means of a flap 5 on one side edge thereof and which may be adhesively or otherwise secured to an inner side wall surface of the bag. It will thus be apparent that the panel 4 has a hinged connection with the bag wall. The panel 4 also preferably has an edge flange 6 in opposite relation to its hinge connection or flap 5. The panel 4 is also provided with an integral handle tab 7 which is partially severed from the panel and has a hand hole 8 therein. As shown, the handle 7 is centrally disposed in the panel.

In use, with the bag 1 distended into its full rectangular shape, the panel 4 is swung outwardly to provide contained articles are free from crushing or damaging pressure. v

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modification of the invention wherein it is desirable to employ a package of relatively large cross-sectional area and low height. In this instance, a shallow bag 11 of paper or like sheet inaterial is provided. The bag has side flaps 12 and end flaps 13 formed by slitting the side walls of the bag at 14 adjacent the corners of the bag. It'will be observed that each end flap '13 is thus joined to narrowportions 15 of the side walls of the bag.

An integral blank 16 of semi-rigid material, such as cardboard or the like, has a rectangular panel 17 arranged to overlie the inner bottom surface of the bag 11. The panel 17 is substantially coextensive with the crosssectional area of the bag. The blank 16 has side panels 18 extending upwardly from bottom panel 17, such side panels being substantially coextensive in height with the bag. Extending from each side panel 18 is a top panel 19 which is also substantially coextensive with the cross-sectional area of the bag. It will be apparent that the top panels 19 may be folded into overlapping relation to each other, in which position they are disposed at the bag mouth and in closing relation thereto. Each panel 19 has a handle tab 20 partially severed therefrom, the tab being provided with a hand hole 21. When the panels 19 are in overlapping relation, the handle tab of the underlying panel is passed through the other panel to place the two handle tabs in registering and contacting relation.

In use, with the end and side flaps 12 and 13 in open position and the panels 19 swung outwardly to expose the bag mouth, the article or articles to be packaged are placed in the bag, being received upon the bottom panel 17 of the blank 16. The top panels 19 are then swung into overlapping position to close the bag mouth with the handle tabs 20 projecting upwardly. The end flaps 13 are then folded inwardly over the panels 19, such flaps 13 being slit at 22 to permit passage therethrough of the handle tabs 20. The portions 15 attached to the end flaps 13 thus become folded into underlying relation with side flaps 13. The side flaps 13 are now folded inwardly over the panels 19 and end flaps 12, the flaps 13 being slotted at 23 to permit passage therethrough of the handle tabs 20.

The package is now ready for transportation by applying the hand to the projecting handle tabs. The semirigid inner panels 17, 18 and 19 impart a fully distended rectangular shape to the bag and serve to maintain such shape in use. Thus, the package provides desirable protection for a wide variety of articles. The bottom panel 17 may be adhesively secured to the bottom of the bag as by adhesive 24.

Referring to Figure 5, a structure closely similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 is therein disclosed. However, in order to provide additional strength, especially to the side flaps 3, the bag corners have been severed to substant'ially twice the depth indicated in Figure 1 whereby each side flap 3 may be provided with a second layer or doubled portion 25.

I claim:

1. Packaging means comprising a paper bag of conventional form and having side and end walls, each of said Walls having an integral fiap adjacent the mouth of said bag, and at least one panel of sheet material of greater rigidity than the paper of said bag, said panel being hingedly connected to one side wall of the bag adjacent the mouth thereof and being substantially coextensive with the transverse area of the bag, said panel being swingable into transverse relation with said bag to close said bag mouth, said panel having an integral handle tab thereon foldable into upright relation with respect to said panel, each of said flaps being foldable over said panel to uniformly suspend all of said bag Walls from said panel, and each of said fiaps having an opening therein to permit passage of said handle tab therethrough and to secure said flaps to said panel.

2. Packaging means comprising a bag of flexible sheet material and having side and end walls, each said wall having an integral flap adjacent the mouth of said bag, and shape imparting means comprising a blank of sheet material of greater rigidity than that of said bag material, said blank having a panel secured to the inner surface of the bottom of said bag, side panels, and top panels swingable into overlapping relation with each other to close said bag mouth said top panels having integral projecting handle tabs, and said flaps being foldable over said top panels When in overlapping relation to uniformly suspend all of said bag Walls from said top panels and having openings therein to permit passage of said handle tabs, and to secure said flaps to said panels.

3. Packaging means comprising a bag of flexible sheet material and having side and end walls, each of said Walls having an integral flap adjacent the month of said bag, and at least one panel of sheet material of greater rigidity than that of said bag secured to the inner surface of said bag, said panel being disposable in transverse relation to said bag adjacent the mouth thereof and being substantially coextensive with the transverse area of said bag, said panel having an integral handle tab thereon foldable into upright relation with respect to said panel, each of said flaps being foldable over said panel to uniformly suspend all of said bag walls from said panel, and each of said flaps having an opening therein to permit passage of said handle tab therethrough and to secure said flaps to said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,063 Hinton Jan. 8, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 539,679 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1941 

